John Haslam

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1764-1844

Vol III

Pg 282

b.1764 d.20 July 1844

MD Aberd(1816) LRCP(1824)

This biography is part of a series of historical obituaries, originally published in print. As products of their time periods, some biographies contain language which is inappropriate and offensive and present biased accounts of physicians’ lives and work that do not disclose unethical and discriminatory behaviour. As an establishment organisation, the RCP, its members, and the way they are written about, have often reflected societal power structures that favour dominant groups. We aim to redress these biases through ongoing work.

Below is the biography as originally published in 1878.

John Haslam, M.D., was born in London, and received his medical education at the United Borough hospitals, and at Edinburgh, where he attended the medical classes in 1785 and 1786. Returning to London he was appointed apothecary to Bethlehem hospital, which he served in that capacity for many years. Having acquired a sound practical knowledge of insanity, he decided on establishing himself as a physician in London.

He was created doctor of medicine by the university of Aberdeen 17th September, 1816, and in order to comply with the regulations of the College of Physicians, entered himself at Pembroke college, Cambridge, and kept some terms there, but did not take any degree at Cambridge. He was admitted a Licentiate of the College of Physicians 12th April, 1824.

"Dr. Haslam was long and justly celebrated as a physician in cases of insanity, and a man otherwise of great attainments, information, and literary tastes. His scientific publications were always held in high esteem, and his numerous contributions to lighter literature through the periodical press were perhaps still more calculated to raise a reputation. As reviewer, critic, epigrammatist, and author of witty and comic papers he had few superiors, and his extensive knowledge of the world and what is called life gave him a ready hand for almost every subject. In society he was equally entertaining and full of anecdote."(1) Dr. Haslam died in Lamb’s Conduit-street, 20th July, 1844, aged eighty.

He was the author of -
Observations on Insanity, with Practical Remarks on the Disease, and an Account of the Appearances on Dissection. 8vo, Lond. 1798. The second edition, under the title Observations on Madness and Melancholy. 8vo. Lond. 1809.
Illustrations of Madness. 8vo. Lond. 1810.
Considerations on the Moral Management of Insane Persons. 8vo. Lond. 1817.
Medical Jurisprudence, as it relates to Insanity according to the Law of England. 8vo. Lond. 1817.
A Letter to the Governors of Bethlehem Hospital, containing an Account of their Management of that Institution for the last Twenty Years. 8vo. Lond. 1818.
Sound Mind: or Contributions to the Natural History and Physiology of the Human Intellect. 8vo. Lond. 1819.

William Munk

[(1) Literary Gazette for 1844.]

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